BentGreen cup for above-ground synthetic turf (aggregate(sand) filled and non-aggregate filled turf) and carpeted golf greens

ABSTRACT

An above-ground golf cup for synthetic turf and carpeted golf greens. Its regulation sized cup fits snugly into any synthetic surface. Because it features a removable flag stick and nylon flag, it looks more like what a golfer would expect visually. The cups base includes a cup ring that will maintain the integrity of the greens cut cup edges for the life of the green. The unique design includes a clear flange which in action stops the momentum of the golf ball and helps retain the ball within the cups base. This action creates an appealing “plopping” sound normally found on traditional golf cups.  
     Therefore a golf green can be installed and used anywhere without the need for in-ground cups. The cup design makes it possible to install a practice golf green anywhere a smooth hard surface is available. It eliminates the problem of creating a cup hole because it simulates the action of a traditional in-ground cup. This above-ground golf cup device creates boundless potential for installation of permanent and portable practice golf greens, indoors and outdoors, unmatched versatility for portability not found in other existing practice greens.

[0001] This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication

[0002] No. 60/443,006

[0003] Filing Date: Jan. 29, 2003

[0004] Title: BentGreen cup for above-ground synthetic turf or carpetedgolf greens

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The invention relates to the game of golf. Specifically a golfhole cup device used in golf practice greens, making it possible toinstall practice greens on any hard surface, both portable orpermanently installed greens, for use indoors and/or year-round use outdoors.

BACKGROUND

[0006] Golf is a game where the ball is hit any number of times toachieve the ending result of a golf ball resting within the limits of acup hole. This event is known in the rules of golf as a “holed” stroke.The player must record the number of strokes it takes from the teeingground, “through the green” until the ball is holed. The abilities andskills necessary for any golfer to minimize the number of strokes, andtherefore become a better skilled player is the quest of any seriousplayer. Advancing the skills of a player takes many hours of practiceand playing to achieve the necessary skills to “lower one's score.”

[0007] It is common for an individual to spend many hours in practice toattempt to achieve lower scores and therefore become a “better player.”The most often used method is putting and chipping on a practice green.Either at a local golf club or practice facility, many hours are spentin the quest to advance one's skills. At times practice facilities haveless than ad equate practice areas or it is more feasible for one topractice at home or when time for practice is limited, using whateverdevice or method and wherever convenient. It is very popular for agolfer to use portable devices to practice and it is the dream of mostgolfers to have unlimited access to a practice green that is accessible.Yet having a private practice green creates additional problems. Havingthe right surface to practice on is vitally important and necessary toachieve proper, realistic practice that will aide in increasing thegolfers skill level. Many practice surfaces are poor renditions comparedto playing on real greens at the local golf course.

[0008] Finally, if it were possible for a golfer to have a privatepractice green it still would need to be installed and maintained insuch a fashion that practice would be valuable and their time wellspent. If the golfer had the availability of a natural grass green, theability to maintain it and the budget to keep it in the propercondition, their problem would be solved. The best solution is a privatepractice green that is affordable and accessible. Therefore syntheticgreens have become popular because of their surface quality and low orno maintenance makes practice viable and affordable. The problem stillremains as to how a green must be installed and a green certainly mustInclude one or several golf “holes.” The main feature of the presentinvention is it now makes the finest synthetic turf or carpeted surfacesmore available to every golfer because they are easier to install andmore affordable and require little or no maintenance compared to naturalgrass greens and the quality of the current turf products available haveadvanced in quality to properly simulate natural grass greens. Theinvention makes it possible for an individual to own their very ownprivate practice green and because digging holes to create a golf holeis not required, the invention makes private practice golf greensversatile for use anywhere, indoors, outdoors, or as the seasonsdictate. My invention also makes it possible for portability of anypractice green and for areas of limited seasonal play, they become ayear-round practice green because moving the green to any surface caneasily be achieved. Our invention makes installing a practice green veryeasy due to the fact that holes do not need to be created. A practicegreen can be installed literally anywhere because creating a hole forthe cup has been eliminated. My BentGreen cup invention makes itpossible to practice anywhere a smooth hard surface is available becausedigging a hole or raising the surface is not necessary to simulate andcreate a golf cup. Previously, to create a golf cup in natural greensand synthetic turf or carpeted greens it was necessary to dig or createa hole in the sub-surface or raise up the green surface to create anample space to install a golf cup to receive and hold a golf ball.

[0009] Synthetic greens sometimes utilize a foam or other type basematerial to raise the green surface to create an area for a cup hole.

[0010] Placing an in-ground cup was the only way to achieve theexistence of a working golf cup.

SUMMARY

[0011] I have created the ability of any synthetic turf or carpeted golfgreen to be installed with the BentGreen Cup which meets standard cupsize requirements while resting directly on a hard surface to create agolf hole that will receive and hold a golf ball, without raising thesurface or utilizing a sub-surface void to create a “hole”.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The accompanying drawings which are incorporated in andconstitute a part of the specification, illustrate a preferredembodiment of the invention and together with the general description ofthe invention given above and the detailed description of the preferredembodiment given below, serve to explain the principles of theinvention.

[0013]FIG. 1—Elevation View—BentGreen Cup

[0014]FIG. 2—Cup Base Elevation

[0015]FIG. 3—Cup Base Plan

[0016]FIG. 4—Removable Flag Stick/Nylon Flag with Clear Flange Shown inMotion

[0017]FIG. 5—BentGreen Cup—Shows Ball In Motion And Impact With TheClear Flange

[0018] The above general description and the following detaileddescription are merely illustrative of the generic invention, andadditional modes, advantages, and particulars of this invention will bereadily suggested to those skilled in the art without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferredembodiments of the invention as detailed in the accompanying drawings.An above-ground golf cup device that simulates a standard golf cup, usedin synthetic turf and carpeted practice greens. It can be used indoorsor outdoors and for green installations that are permanent or portableon any hard surface.

[0020] Referring to FIG. 1 the BentGreen cup is comprised of a baseplate 1, a white PVC cup ring 2, (3) retainer clips that attach the cupring to the base plate 3, flag stick center fitting 4, a black ringfarrell 5, a clear cup flange 6, a removable flag stick 7, and nylonflag 8.

[0021] The combination of these pieces make up the BentGreen Cup.

[0022] Referring to FIG. 1 in more detail—

[0023]1—Base Plate—FIGS. 1,2,3—made of polycarbonate which isunbreakable and gives the cups base the needed strength and integritydue to the fact that a flag stick and nylon flag will be placed into thecenter flag stick fitting and must be able to withstand outdoor windconditions. This base plate is 0.040″ thick, which allows a minimumelevation above the ground, not to raise the synthetic surface andcreate a rise in the area around the cup hole.

[0024]2—Cup Ring—FIGS. 1,2,3—made of white PVC and is ⅛″ sidewallthickness and the out side diameter matches a regulation golf cup hole4¼″. The PVC cup ring can be made to fit various pile heights ofsynthetic turf and carpeted surfaces, with or without foam backing. Itcan also accommodate aggregate (sand) filled turf and non-aggregatefilled turf.

[0025]3—Three Retainer Clips—FIGS. 1,2,3—Attaches the cup ring to thebase plate through a mechanical connection of aluminum rivets. Thisprocess allows proper drainage of rainwater through the cups base (foroutdoors installations). The (3) retainer clips (FIG. 1,2,3) are alsodurable and add strength to the assembly.

[0026] Finally, use of the retainer clips also aids in the slowing ofthe golf ball as it enters the cup base and therefore becomes animportant part of the overall device.

[0027]4—Center Flag Stick Fitting—FIGS. 1,2,3—Attached to the base platewith an aluminum rivet. A small polycarbonate disc 1¼″ in diameter isused to further stabilize the base plate and center flag stick fitting.The flag stick fitting is a combination of a ½″ CPVC cap and pipe, alongwith the Black Ring Farrell 5, to elevate the Clear Cup Flange 6 to theproper elevation to achieve the proper action of the flange and cup toreceive the golf ball and retain it in the cup base.

[0028] For optimum results and cup/ball action the dimension from thecenter of the Clear Cup Flange to the top of the turf should be 1¼″ minto a maximum of 1⅜″.

[0029]5—Black Ring Farrell—Referring to FIGS. 1 & 4—is used to retainthe Clear Cup Flange 6 to the Flag Stick 7 whenever the flag stick isremoved from the center Flag Stick Fitting 4.

[0030]6—The Clear Cup Flange is the essence of the invention and givesit its unique action. It is used to stop the momentum of the golf ballas it approaches the golf hole and also serves to retain the golf ballin the cups base (refer to FIG. 5—Showing ball in motion and impactingthe Clear Cup Flange).

[0031] An added benefit of using the Clear Cup Flange is the sound thatis made when the golf ball impacts it and falling into the cupbase—creates a “plopping” sound that golfers prefer. Use of a ClearFlange also does not take away from the visual nature of seeing the golfcup without undo restriction and aids in the process of alignment of thegolf shot.

[0032]7—Removable White Flag Stick—Referring to FIGS. 1 & 4

[0033]8—Nylon Flag—Referring to FIGS. 1 & 4

[0034] Referring to FIGS. 2 & 3—Note Retainer Clips are mechanicallyattaching the Cup Ring and Base Plate by use of aluminum rivets 5

[0035] Referring to FIG. 4—Note Flag Stick is fitted into the Flag StickFitting (FIG. 1,2,3) using a Ring Adapter 9. The ring adapter furtherstabilizes the flag stick when placed into the flag stick fitting 4(FIGS. 1,2,3)

[0036] Referring to FIG. 5—This drawing shows an animated detail of theinventions unique action of the golf ball approaching the cup andimpacting the Clear Cup Flange (FIGS. 1&4) and its resulting restinginto the cups base FIGS. 1 & 5

I claim:
 1. A device used in above-ground synthetic turf (aggregate(sand) filled and non-aggregate filled) and also carpeted golf greens.The invention eliminates the need to dig holes in the sub-surface orelevate the green surface to create an area for installing a golf cup.The invention's diameter is the same as a regulation size golf cup andwill also fit into any standard sized golf cup hole cutout. Made ofextremely durable plastic it can be used for both indoor and outdoorapplications and will withstand outdoor exposure to the elements forextended or permanent periods of time without damage.
 2. The device asdescribed in claim 1 includes a clear flange that slows the momentum ofthe golf ball as it enters the golf cup, it also acts to retain the golfball in the cup base.
 3. The device as described in claim 1 and theaction of the ball impacting the clear flange and falling into the cupbase, creates an appealing “plopping” sound that golfers desire.
 4. Thedevice as described in claim 1 includes a cup ring that will maintainthe integrity of the turf or carpet fibers around the edge of the cuphole and eliminates denigration and turf fibers from collapsing or theproblem of a “donut” edge cup hole (where the edge becomes rounded andthe golf ball falls from distances outside regulation standards) asfound in other synthetic turf or carpeted greens. The addition of thecup ring creates a condition that like natural grass golf green cupslocations, a golf ball can and will spin out of the cups edge if notstruck with the proper direction and speed. It also maintains acondition normally found on natural grass golf cup greens, that if theball is not struck with precision and proper amount of pressure, theball can and will remain on the cups edge without falling into the cupbecause the turfs edge remains as sharp as a freshly cut natural grassgolf cup hole.
 5. The device as described in claim 1 includes aremovable 24″ flag stick and nylon flag. This creates an appealing,visually preferred golf cup that looks like traditional golf cups. Thenylon flag also adds to the visual appeal and overall aesthetics of thegolf cup. The cup can be used with or without the flag stick installedin the cups base, but optimum results will occur when the flag stick isin place allowing the benefit of the clear cup flange to workeffectively (stopping the momentum of the ball and retaining the ball inthe cup).
 6. The device as described in claim 1 includes a polycarbonatebase which is non-breakable and enhances the integrity, strength anduse-life of the above-ground cup. Because of its strength, it enablesthe use of a flag stick and flag without failure. The diameter of thebase plate will keep the golf cup device stable while positioned in theturf or carpet standard size golf hole cut-outs.
 7. The device asdescribed in claim 1 includes 3 plastic cup ring retainers, reinforcedwith aluminum rivets that mechanically adhere the cup ring to thepolycarbonate cup base. They also aide in slowing the momentum of thegolf ball as it enters and rolls into the cup base, plus strengthens itsassembly adding to the overall effectiveness and product life.
 8. Thedevice as described in claim 1 will effectively drain moisture andrainwater through the cups base that normally collects due to exposurein outdoor conditions. The benefit of water drainage is beneficial inmore severe weather conditions when the cup is used out doors on apermanent basis or when used in climates with more varying conditions.9. The device as described in claim 1 can be adapted to various pileheight surfaces of synthetic turf, both aggregate (sand) filled andnon-aggregate filled turf carpets and other pile height carpet greens aswell.